The Non-Obvious Insights Blog. Non-Obvious Insights
The Non-Obvious Insights Blog.

Dedicated To Helping Readers
Be More Interesting
Since 2004.

As Featured In:

Take the Multilingual Challenge: Globalize Your Blog

One of the things I have noted over the past year of blogging is that this blog receives a significant amount of traffic from locations outside of the US.  Intended or not, this blog has a global audience.  But like most of my fellow bloggers based in a single country, I don’t do much to … Read more

The Greatest Viral Marketing Tool Ever

Google, by virtue of the sheer volume of their daily visitors has built into their site what might be the greatest viral marketing tool ever … their corporate logo.  And on occasions outside of the standard American holidays, they often use the logo to promote their cause, product, holiday or scientific endeavour of the day.  … Read more

Spun and Peerflix – Online DVD Trading Then & Now

One of my favourite holdover sites from the dot-com era that is still around today is Spun.com.  I have always loved the idea of creating used cd and dvd store online for people to sell their old stuff and use credits to buy new stuff.  I think I still have a spundex somewhere.  I came … Read more

In Search of Photopedia …

Like most other parents of a one and a half year old, my house is filled with books.  Picture books, soft books, waterproof books, popup books, touch and feel books, or Dr. Seuss books.  You name the type of kids book, and we probably have one lying around somewhere.  But even in this home library … Read more

New Blogfeeds Launched: Public Relations, Advertising, Pharmaceutical, Ogilvy

Following up on the very successful launch of this initiative a few months ago, we have been updating our 10 current feeds on an ongoing basis.  This week, we also just launched four new blogfeeds – you can check them out at the following addresses: Public Relations: https://blogfeeds.ogilvypr.com/publicrelations Advertising: https://blogfeeds.ogilvypr.com/advertising Pharmaceutical: https://blogfeeds.ogilvypr.com/pharmaceutical Ogilvy Bloggers: https://blogfeeds.ogilvypr.com/ogilvy … Read more

GMC's New Viral Campaign Fails to Deliver

In times square this weekend, I spotted a long billboard with mathematical equations and schematic drawings along with the cryptic URL – www.beyondthedrawingboard.com.  Unfortunately, a visit to the website delivers neither a new online community for tech geeks, nor an innovative new virtual drawing board for users to collaborate on.  Instead, the site is nothing … Read more

Using Wikipedia for Marketing

During the Search Engine Strategies conference, I attended a panel focused on SEM in relation to online communities – with a particular focus on deli.cio.us and Wikipedia.  Members of the panel shared several great ideas about how to market in a community environment, without alienating members of the community or being perceived negatively as a … Read more

7 Rules for Agencies Getting into Search

I’m at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in New York and will be participating in a panel discussion tomorrow about agencies and search.  The topic raises an interesting discussion about where search engine marketing should fit.  Is it a PR activity?  An advertising program?  These are the questions that not only agencies are struggling with, … Read more

Nike Survives Ill-fated JoinBode.com Effort

Using celebrity spokespeople can be a tricky thing – especially when it comes to athletes and sports sponsorships.  Nike and Visa both learned this with their ill-fated Olympic sponsorships of Bode Miller and Lindsay Jacobellis, respectively.  Both turned out disappointing performances, with Bode Miller coming off as a total ass yesterday with his declaration that … Read more

NBC Adds Olympic Medal Count to Paid Search Results

As most good content publishers know, there are moments where a highly relevant "nugget" of content from your site will be the piece that generates the largest number of searches and a surge in site traffic.  For content publishers offering Winter Olympic coverage, that nugget is definitely the Olympic Medal Count.  To reach all the … Read more

The Non-Obvious Insights Newsletter. Non-Obvious Insights
Layer 97
The Non-Obvious Insights Newsletter
Layer 118

Skip the obvious and anticipate the future with our weekly newsletter. Join over 25,000 subscribers and start receiving the stories (and insights) you’ve been missing.

All Books

#1 WSJ & USA Today Bestselling Author

Rohit is the author of 10 books on trends, the future of business, building a more human brand with storytelling and how to create a more diverse and inclusive world.

Contact

Have a Question or Inquiry?

Just fill out this form, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!

Contact

About You

What Are You Contacting Us About*:

Your Message